The checkered flag dropped at Phoenix Raceway Friday night, and with it came one of those moments that gives you goosebumps. Corey Heim, just 23, didn’t just win the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. He absolutely dominated it in a way we haven’t seen in over two decades.

This wasn’t some squeaker of a title run where everything fell into place at the last second. This was a masterclass in racing excellence, with Heim rewriting the record books and establishing himself as one of the most talented young drivers in the sport.

Breaking Records That Stood for 26 Years

Let’s talk about what Heim accomplished this season, because it’s the kind of stuff that makes veteran crew chiefs shake their heads in disbelief. The Tricon Garage driver behind the wheel of the No. 11 Toyota didn’t just win races. He collected them like trophies on a shelf. Greg Biffle’s 1999 record of nine wins in a single Truck Series season seemed untouchable.

For 26 years, that mark stood as the benchmark of dominance in the series. Heim tied it at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during the Round of 10, and you could feel the electricity in the air. Everyone knew history was within reach. Then came the Charlotte Roval, and Heim did something that perfectly encapsulates his entire season.

He suffered damage on Lap 1, the kind of hit that ends most drivers’ days before they’ve barely begun. But Heim? He fought back with the sort of determination that separates champions from also-rans. By the time the race was over, he had his tenth win of the season, and Biffle’s record was in the rearview mirror.

But Heim wasn’t done. He added another victory at Martinsville Speedway last Friday night, giving him an incredible 11 wins on the season. Eleven. Let that sink in for a moment. In a series where winning two or three races makes for a successful season, Heim won nearly half the races he entered.

The Championship 4 Journey: Third Time’s the Charm

Making the Championship 4 once is an accomplishment. Making it three years in a row? That’s something special. But Heim’s journey to this title wasn’t without its heartbreak and hard lessons. Back in 2023, his first Championship 4 appearance ended in controversy and disappointment. While battling for the lead among the title contenders, Carson Hocevar spun him out.

The contact led to retaliation, both drivers ended up wrecked, and Heim’s championship hopes evaporated. He finished P18 that night and fourth in the final standings, close enough to taste it, but not quite there.

Last year stung even worse in some ways. Heim made the Championship 4 again and improved to runner-up, finishing just behind champion Ty Majeski. To come that close and fall short? That stays with you. It fuels those late-night simulator sessions and extra hours studying film.

This year, with all that experience and all that hunger, Heim left nothing to chance. He dominated the regular season, stayed consistent through the playoffs, and when it mattered most at Phoenix, he delivered. Beating fellow Championship 4 drivers Majeski, Tyler Ankrum, and Kaden Honeycutt to claim the title must have felt like releasing years of pent-up emotion.

What Makes Heim’s Season Historic

The numbers tell part of the story: 11 wins, a championship, records shattered. But there’s more to it than that. What made Heim’s 2025 season truly special was the way he won those races. He won on short tracks and intermediates. He won on road courses after taking damage. He won elimination races when the pressure was at its peak.

He won in the playoffs when every decision could make or break a championship run. That kind of versatility and clutch performance is what separates the good drivers from the all-time greats. The Charlotte Roval win exemplifies his season perfectly.

Most drivers who get hit on Lap 1 are just trying to salvage a decent finish. Heim saw it as another challenge to overcome, another opportunity to show what he’s made of. That mindset, that refusal to accept anything less than victory, defined his entire year.

The Road Ahead for a Champion

So what’s next for Corey Heim? That’s the million-dollar question everyone’s asking right now. He’s a 23XI Racing development driver and one of the hottest prospects in all of NASCAR. Does he defend his Truck Series title in 2026, or does he get the call to move up?

This season, Heim balanced his full-time Truck duties with select races in the Xfinity and Cup Series, and he showed he can compete at those levels, too. His sixth-place finish in the Bristol Night Race behind the wheel of the No. 67 23XI Toyota in the Cup Series turned heads. So did his eighth-place run in the Xfinity Series at Bristol in the No. 24 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota.

Those performances weren’t flukes. They were a preview of what Heim can do when given the equipment and opportunity. The kid can drive that much. It’s crystal clear. Whatever decision gets made about his future, one thing is certain: 2025 will forever be remembered as the “Year of Heim Time.”

Final Thoughts

This championship run wasn’t just about winning a title. It was about a young driver announcing to the entire NASCAR world that he’s ready for whatever comes next. It was about rewriting history and setting new standards for what’s possible in the Truck Series.

Corey Heim didn’t just win the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series championship. He conquered it in a way that will be talked about for decades. And something tells me this is just the beginning of his story.